Switch crane



March 31, 1931. E. M. BENTLEY 1,798,581

SWITCH CRANE Filed July 21, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR March 31,1931. E. M. BENTLEY SWITCH CRANE- Filed July 21. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 aI A Di C \lfi I 7 ggg um l I 2 i R /E INVENTOR aiznm/sa fl March 31,1931. E. M. BENTLEY 1,798,581

SWITCH' CRANE Filed July 21. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Gil PatentedMar. 31, 1931 UNETEE STTES .ATE

SWITCH GRAN E Application filed July 21, 1827. Serial No. 202412.

For a detailed description of the present form of my invention,reference may be had to the following specification and to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, wherein Fig. lis atrack diagram;

Fig. 2 is a plan of bridge and trolley;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the-elevatorcage;

Fig.7 at is a circuit of the switch operator and Fig; 5 shows removalmeans.

My invention relates to a traveling crane organized to act as aswitch-engine to shift cars or trains in a train yard or wherever it isneeded. It consists in brief of an electric crane constructed andoperated on familiar principles, with tracks which are preferablyelevated tracks extending along opposite sides of the area to be served,a bridge having wheels at each end to travel along said tracks, atrolley traveling to and from on the bridge transversely to the tracksand a coupling member, here shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as an operators cage,which is mounted on the trolley and arranged to be raised and loweredthereon at will. This cage is strongly braced in a fore-and-aftdirection and at its bottom is provided with car-couplers of thestandard construction. The operator is preferably stationed on the floorof the cage just above the level of the couplers and has within reachthe usual controllers for the propelling motors of the bridge andtrolley with their brakes, also a controller for the hoisting motor thatraises and lowers the cage, and for the air brakes on the switched cars.The cage is also equipped with an automatic air compressor and reservoirsuch as would'be provided for on an ordinary switch engine. The operatoralso has treadles by which he can, at a point as far in advance as maybedesired, set a track switch either ahead ofor behind him and get ananswer-back signal when it is set. He likewise" controls thecoupler-latch to unlock it.

By means of his control of the trolley and the brakes therefor, theoperator can bring his cage into exact line with a car standing on oneof the-groundtracksbelow, and'couple his cage thereto just as if saidcage were an ordinary switch-engine. Then by his control of the bridgemotors he can either'push or' pull the car, or a train, as far as thebridge has a track on which to travel. The car or train, being fast tothe cage and trolley, will control their lateral position on the bridgewhich is at the same time under the control of the operator. Theadvantage is that while the crane can, by my device, perform all thefunctions of a switch engine, it does not require any ground trackage.The cage can be lifted up clear of any car or train and so hurdle it,being dropped down again wherever desired. It can also move directlyfrom one track to another and pass alongside of a car, or evenbetweencars on adjacent tracks, in order to pass around them.

Referring'to Fig. 5 of the drawing, A. rep resents an elevated railmounted on a girder A which is supported by posts A located at intervalsalong each side of the yard to be covered. In Fig. 1 one plan for such ayard is shown for illustration. Two throughtracks are indicated at 1 and2, the latter being the left-bound track. Tracks 3, 4, 5 and 6 indicatefour classification tracks for the left-bound traffic. The space onthese four tracks between points a and b is the shiftover space.Assuming that incoming trains on trackQ are shunted onto tracks 3, l, 5and 6, filling that portion of those tracks to the right of the point 5,then the switch-crane can, manifestly, take a car or group of cars fromany one of the four tracks to the right of point 6 and transfer it totrack 5 in the shift-over section and from that track 5 again transferit to any one of the four tracks 3, 4, 5 and 6' at the left of point a.The reorganized trains can then be held on tracks 3, a, 5' and 6 at theleft of point a until sent out on the leftbound through-track 2.Numerous other switching combinations can obviously be carried out in ananalogous way.

Fig; Qshows at B, B the bridge-girders, I prefer to employ two duplicatebridges, each having twogirders B, B. The two are coupled by means oflinks C, one at each end. By using the bridges, the wheel base for thecrane carriage E may be made as long as desired by spreading the bridgesfarther apart. Thereby the impact stress, also the pushing or pullingstress on the cage, has less leverage stress on the bridges. Each bridgeis provided at each end with two drive-wheels I), D, one set being on anaxle D extending the full length of the bridge. The electric motors foroperating them are not shown, since they are familiar to the art. I havemerely indicated a spur gear D on each wheel to be rotated by the motorin a well known fashion. Such a spur-gear may be applied only to wheelsD on the long axle D and the others driven therefrom by link belts orparallel-rods. I prefer to rely for traction upon the weight of thebridges and to concentrate such weight at the ends thereof directly overrails A, A. That will limit the weight which is imposed on the centerportion of the bridge to the weight of the trolleys, the cage and cageca-rrier, which weight is not excessive. Hence the crane exemplified bythe invention may be much lighter than those which carrv heavy loadsacross the bridge and is so organized that it can be given any adequatedegree of resistance to push and pull stresses and normal impacts. Imay, however, secure adequate traction by any one of several expedientswhich are ordinarily employed for that purpose, such as spring-pressedgripwheels, a rack alon the traflic rails, or a cable or chain anchoredat the opposite ends of rails A, A and engaged by a motor-driven drum orsprocket wheel on the bridge. On each bridge is an eight-wheel cranecarriage E which is to be propelled in the customary manner by one ormore electric motors. The frame of this carria 'eis marked F. Thecagecarrier G consists or a rectangular frame sliding longitudinally onthe side bars of frame F and normally centered thereon by buffer springsH, H, H, II interposed between it and the cross bars of frame F. Onframe G are four vertical guide-bars K, K, K, K for the four uprightcorner-posts It, II, R, R of the cage. These guide-bars may bereinforced as shown in Fig. 3 by external angle-braces K K K K It willbe understood that when the cage is being raised and lowered it is notunder fore-and-aft stresses and that the said angle-bars are designedfor resisting such stresses when the cage is down and receiving theimpacts and push-and-pull stresses of the cars or trains. Thecornerposts R of the cage may be stiffened by lattice bracing as shownin Fig. 3 and under the floor of the cage is fastened a coupler-bar Swith the usual standard couplers on each end. It will be understoodthat, when the cage is coupled to a car or train and the brakes on thetrolley are released, the transverse pull of the car or train, as it isdirected by the groundrails of the cross-over tracks, will be sufiicientordinarily to pull the cage and trolley sidewise along the bridge, butat the same time the operator will have control of thetrolley-propelling motors and can positively move the trolley along thebridge to keep it in line with the car or train as the same, togetherwith the bridge, is moved longitudinally by the bridgepropelling motors.

The operator is preferably stationed in the cage at the bottom thereof,as indicated in Fig. 3, and, in the customary way, he is to haveconcentrated at his station within easy reach all of the control-handlesfor the sev eral motors employed in the structure. The motor for raisingand lowering the cage is indicated in Fig. 2 at W'. It is mounted on theframe G together with the gearing that leads to the pinions J, J,.J, Jwhich engage the respective upright racks on the corner-posts R of thecage. It will be understood that the lifting and lowering of the cagewill follow the usual electric-elevator practice, the cage beingcounterbalanced-in this case by a spring instead of a weight-with theordinary liinit-switches and brake-stops for its upper and lowerpositions. I also mount on the cage a tank and air compressor T as shownin Fig. 2, from which pipes T extend down to the customary brake-valveand hose-couplers. Thereby the operator can. have complete control ofthe car or train by means of its regular air brakes. Since the lateralstresses on the cage are of a minor magnitude the lateral cross-bracingcan be omitted enough to leave its front and rear ends open so that theoperator can step out on the ground, if necessary, and couple the airpipes to the car or train, which he is to shift, or he can carry ahelper with him for that and other duties.

At present, the approach of a switchingengine to a car which it. is togrip, is regulated by the signals which a switchman gives to theengine-driver who is not stationed where he can himself see just howclose his coupler is to the said car. By my device the operator isstationed right at the coupler and he himself controls the approach.Hence there is no need for the switchmen who now must walk about theswitch-yard in constant danger of being struck. Moreover, by giving thecagelifting motors adequate power, the operator can quickly lift himselfout of the way of a car or train to avoid a collision, or can quicklyshift himself sideways by powerful trolleymotors. By these and othermeans theoperator has, in my crane, a greater degree of safety than thepresent enginemen.

I also provide simple means whereby the operator can set a track switchin the desired direction as he approaches it and as far ahead of it asmay be desired, and also get an answer-back signal to let him know thatit has been successfully set. That is shown in Fig. 4, wherein Prepresents a track switchpoint and X and Y are two insulated rails whichare preferably outside of the track-rails and which extend as far as maybe desired along the track.-. lhey are much like the ordinary third railon electric railways but require less insulation because of the lowvoltage employed. On the cage are two pedals X and Y either of which maybe depressed by the operators foot against one of the rails X or Y. Bothpedals are connected to the current-supply of the crane-motors throughan indicator N and a resistance Q. Thirdrail X is connected at theswitch to a magnet 0 through a resistance Q and thence to ground at Gwhile rail Y is similarly connected through resistance Q} to a magnet 0These two magnets operate the switch-point P in opposite directionsrespectively by any suitable mechanism. Here shown is a screwthread'edrod P projecting from sw itchpoint P into a nut M which is rotated to 1throw the point in or out by means of a sector M The magnets O and Ooperate the sector in reverse directions respectively and throw theswitch-point correspondingly. The limit-throw of sector h 2 to the rightcloses a switch L that short-circuits resistance Q and to the leftsimilarly short-circuits resistance Q}. The indicator N on the cage isso adjusted that it will not respond to the our rent that is permittedto flow when either resistance Q or Q is in series with resistance Q.That current will, however, be suflicient to work the switch-point. Butwhen the switch-point is fully set (and locked by the screw-thread innut M, or by any other suitable means) the short-circuiting of Q and Qby switch L will so increase the current that the indicator N willrespond and notify the operator that the switch has been set. There isno current in the switch setting apparatus except when the switch isbeing set and no battery or other separate source of E. M. F; isrequired so that the apparatus may be extremely simple in construction.

It may be added that, as shown in Fig. 5, each yard should be providedwith one-or more off-side tracks with which the trolley tracks on thebridge which are on the same level therewith may be brought into line.Thereby an injured cage and trolley may be run off onto track 20 andremoved, anew one being substituted for it. The yard may also have oneor more tran verse groundt-racks Z whereby a bridge may be removed orapplied by means of trucks on said groundtrack equipped withtower-jacks. In this way stoppages by accidents can be minimized. Thelift of the cage may be such as to bring it within the clearance limitof the bridgebeams B as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and thetrolley will be held down on the bridgebeams by guard-hooks F At theright of Fig. 8 is represented a push-pole V pivoted on the side of thecage and normally held upright against a retainin stop 4) by aspring-barrel V It is provided with a pedal l -extending into the car,whereby the oper- Fig. 3, the cage in that case, being kept above theroof level.

V'Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is: y

1. A switch crane of the character described comprising a longitudinallymovable overhead bridge, a transversely movable carriage mounted on saidbridge, a coupler member supported by said carriage so that it maybeengaged with a car to be moved, means for raising and lowering saidcoupler member so as to adjust it todifferent elevations, and an aircompressor, reservoir and train-pipe coupler also supported by saidcarriage 2. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally movable bridge, a carriage mounted on said bridge so asto travel transversely with respect thereto, a standard coupler membersupported by said carriage, and a pulling hook also connected with saidcarriage.

3. A switch crane of the character described comprising a movablymounted overhead bridge, a carriage mounted on said bridge so as totravel transversely thereof, means providing an operators stationsupported by said carriage, a coupler connected with said operatorsstation, railway switch operating means mounted on the operatorsstation, and means for changing the elevation of said station.

4. A switch crane of the character described comprising a movablymounted overhead bridge, a carriage mounted on said bridge so as to movetransversely thereof, a coupler member supported by said carriage sothat it may be engaged with a car to be moved, and a push-pole mountedon said coupler member'and direct-able against a car to be moved.

5. A switch crane of the character described comprising a movablysupported overhead bridge,a transversely movable carriage supported bysaid bridge, a coupler member supported by said carriage, and apush-pole carried by the coupler member and directable against a car tobe moved, said push-pole being provided with a pulling hoo r.

'6. A switch crane of the character described comprising a movablysupported overhead bridge, a carriagemounted on said bridge and movabletransversely thereof, a coupler member supported by said carriage so astoengage a car to be moved,and an elec- V 'trically-controlled'railway-switch-moving means also supported by said carriage so as to beunder the control of the crane operator.

' 7. A car switching crane comprising a movably mounted overhead bridge,a transversely movable carriage mounted to travel on said bride, meansproviding an operators station mounted on said carriage, arailwayswitch-operating means operable from said station, and anindicator at the operators sta- 'tion for showing the position of saidswitch.

8. A switch crane of the character described comprising a longitudinallymovable overhead bridge having spaced apart bearings on fixedlongitudinal rails, a carriage travelling transversely on said bridge, astandard horizontal car coupler depending from said bridge, and a thrustreceiving connection between said coupler and said carriage for raisingand lowering said coupler with respect to the carriage and alsotransmitting the coupler thrust to said spaced apart bridge bearings atall positions of the carriage on the bridge.

9. A switch crane of the character described comprising a longitudinallymovable bridge spanning a plurality of railway tracks and having spacedapart bearings on fixed longitudinal rails, a carriage travellingtransversely on said bridge, a standard horizontal railway car couplerdepending from 'said carria-ge and movable vertically with respectthereto, and a thrust receiving connection between said coupler and saidcarriage for transmitting the thrust from a car on any one of the saidplurality of railway tracks to the aforesaid spaced apart bridgebearings.

10. A switch crane of the character described. comprising alongitudinally movable overhead bridge spanning a plurality of railwaytracks, a carriage travelling transversely on said bridge, a standardhorizontal railway car coupler d pending from and opera able from saidcarriage, and means for raising said coupler with respect-to saidcarriage to an elevation higher than the several cars on the aforesaidplurality of railway-tracks.

11. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally movable overhead bridge spanning a. plurality of railwaytracks, a propelling motor for the cars on said tracks mounted on thebridge, a vertically movable standard horizontal railway car couplercooperating with a car on any one of the said plurality of cars bytravelling transversely along said bridge, and a cont-roller for saidpropelling motor also capable of transverse travel along said bridge.

12. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally movable overhead bridge spanning a plurality of groundtracks, a propelling motor for the cars or trains on said ground tracks,said motor being mounted on said bridge, and propelling the same, and ashiftable coupler between thesaid bridge and any one of the cars ortrains on the several ground tracks, said coupler being shiftabletransversely from track to track and also shiftable vertically to jumpover a car on the ground line which may be in its line of shift or inits line of longitudinal travel with said bridge.

r 13. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally movable overhead bridge spanning a plurality of railwaytracks, a carriage travelling transversely on said bridge, and astandard horizontal railway car coupler depending from said carria-geand movable vertically with respect thereto, said coupler beingsupported from said carriage by a horizontally rigid frame slidablevertically in guides on the carriage and having said coupler secured toits lower end.

14:. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally movable overhead bridge spanning a plurality of railwaytracks,,said bridge being composed of a plurality of parallel girders, acarriage movable along said bridge and bearing on each of said parallelgirders, and a vertically sliding frame depending from said carriage andcomposed of a set of vertical bars braced across horizontally with astandard railway car coupler on the lower end of said frame.

15. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally movable overhead bridge spanning a plurality of rail waytracks, a carrier movable transversely along said bridge with a standardrailway car coupler-frame depending from said carrier and movablevertically with respect thereto and upwardly-engaging members resistingderailing thrust of said frame.

16. A switch crane of the character described comprising alongitudinally travelling bridge spanning two or more railway tracks, acarrier movable transversely along said bridge, a coupler-framedepending from and moving vertically on said carrier, a brake reservoirmounted on the frame to rise and fall therewith, and standardbrake-couplers also on said frame.

Signed at New York city. borough of Manhattan, county of New York, Stateof New York, this 20th day of July, 1927.

EDWARD M. BENTLEY.

